Sorry, I had forgotten to answer : I did receive an answer from Lyons DSAC. The text is quite clear : no need to go through Customs since the end of the state of urgency (NOV 17), provided your flight is intra-Schengen.
I’m just back from Alderney for which I had to clear Customs. I chose Cherbourg, quick and friendly. And Dinard on the way back, which I found very unpleasant, although the gas is cheap (1,85).
I had never been to Alderney before, due to weather, the arrival is amazing.
Michel
@Michelb, you cannot even trust what officials tell you. This became very clear when the Flemmish aeronautical association contacted the police somewhere in northern France and were told that they could only enter France through a port of entry, which was later rebutted by some police chief.
A link to the Arrêté is here.
So you can basically chose what to believe:
During the state of emergency, and also before and since, I have strictly complied with AIP and NOTAMs and flown directly from a non-customs airport in France to The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Denmark, without any PPR or other formalities because no PPR or other formalities were ever required to or from that airport.
Sorry, but I’m not so sure about that. After the terrorist attacks, France had proclaimed the “state of urgency”. This forced us to go through a Customs check before leaving France as well as when entering France (to or from Schengen states). In fact, it was a police check but performed by Customs.
“Urgency” was stopped in last November but it’s hard to know if this constraint was simply withdrawn or if it is now part of the law.
I phoned Chambery Customs, they said in an agressive reply that the risk was still “red”, so we of course had to go through the controls. Grenoble Customs had no idea…
So, I’m gonna write to the chief of DSAC in Lyons (the local DGAC) and we’ll get an answer. I’ll of course let you know.
michel bianco
Ok, thanks!
From another Schengen&EU country like Sweden, yes.
Last time this subject came up there were some Belgians from Vlanderen who got erroneous information from French police who told them they needed to fly to a port of entry.
Is it still the same easy procedure to fly into France from another Schengen country? No need to fly via a port of entry, any grass strip is fine?
Thanks guys. It confirmed what i thought. Flight plan is a French requirement.
Concerning the gas, i got the info from a club member. So i decided to get the total air card. Just need a deposit and a sepa bank account. No longer limited to French bank account.
For the language, i am French so i should be fine!
Emmanuel
Check also how avgas is delivered. Some French airports require the AIR BP or TOTAL fuel cards. Some I have been to have the card machines which are impossible to operate unless you speak French or find somebody who does. The one at Annecy is one example, though the one at Zell am See (Austria) was also impossible to operate without speaking German. Both were AIR BP.
You probaby know this stuff but some time ago I started making some notes on flying within Europe. I am just updating it now.
Well … you need a flightplan and a plane. :-)
All you need is a flight plan.
